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O. H. & H. FRIEDE. SAFETY SOLE FOR BOOTS 0B SHOES.-

No. 457,423., Patented Aug. 11, 18791.

S I i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL HEINRICH FRIE DE AND HUGO FRIEDE, OF NIEDERPLANITZ, NEAR ZWIGKAU,GERMANY.

SAFETY-SOLE FOR BOOTS OR SHOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 457,423, dated August11, 1891.

Application filed March 26, 1891. Serial No. 386,536. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, CARL HEINRICH FRIEDE and HUGO FRIEDE, subjects ofthe Emperor of Germany, residing at Niederplanitz, near Zwickau, Saxony,Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Soles for Boots or Shoes, (for which we have 'made application forLetters Patent of Germany, February 11, 1891,) of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to a protective sole for boots or shoes,consisting of a metal plate or sheet out to the desired shape and linedwith elastic material, such as felt, the whole being adapted to besuitably attached to the boot or shoe by means of screws, buckles,spring-clamps, or the like. Owing to its elasticity this protective solewill fit the configurations of the sole of a boot or shoe to which it isapplied without interfering in the least with the free motion of thefoot. Should, however, the metal sheet be formed insufiicientlyyielding, a hinge or joint may be provided near its center, say betweenthe heel and sole portions. The sole so arranged may be employed in avariety of ways. Its main object is to prevent accidents upon slipperyroads, ice, and the like.

The protective sole, which may be readily and conveniently attached to aboot or shoe and as readily removed therefrom when done with will mosteffectually prevent slipping and the evils consequent thereon, whenever,for example, the thawing of snow renders the roads muddy and slippery.In diverse departments of industry, too, these soles will prove avaluable safety appliance to the operatives, such as plumbers,chimney-sweeps, &c., whom it will protect from falling down from theroof. Again,by'applying soles of this description to his riding-boots arider will insure a better hold on the stirrups. Besides. these soleswill prove useful in protecting boots or shoes from damage resultingfrom dampness, rain, or snow, and they may also be employed instead. ofthe protective slippers or galoshes, which visitors to certain castlesor monuments are at present asked to put on to prevent mosaic or othervaluable flooring being damaged by their boots or shoes.

To enable the invention to be more readily understood, reference shouldbe made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan, andFig. 2 a longitudinal section, of the improved safety-sole.

A A is a metal plate or sheet shaped to the contour of a sole and heeland forming the support of the sheet of felt B B. Both these sheets areconnected by screws a a, the nuts a a of which form shoulders forholding in position the plate A A. Thus it is suflicient to loosen thescrews whenever it is desired to remove and replace worn-out sheets offelt.

The sole proper A B is connected with the heel-portion A B by a hinge c.The plate A, is bent sons to fit the shape of the heel to which it isfixed by means of the pin (Z and pointed screw (1.

For the attachment of the sole a strap 01 with a buckle is employed,although other well-known attaching devices might be used.

We claim- In a safety or protecting sole,the combination, with thespring-metal base-plate formed in two parts A and A, the former shapedto the contour of the sole of a shoe and the lat ter bent to cover aportion of the shank and front and bottom of the heel, of the hingejointuniting these parts together, the metal plate secured to the part A byrivets and bent up at substantially rightangles to embrace the back ofthe heel, the elastic material, such as felt, united to the heel andsole portions by screws, the nuts interposed between the felt andbase-plate, through which the screws pass before entering thebase-plate, the fastening devices, such as a strap and buckle, forsecuring the sole portion to the sole of the shoe, and the screw d andpin d for securing the heel portion to the heel, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses. I

CARL HEINRICH FRIEDE. .I-IUGO FRIEDE.

Witnesses:

CARL BORNGRAEBER, HENRY W. DIEDERIOH.

